Little more than love
by chamsp
Summary: Feeling the loss of his imprint and having to raise a baby alone, how will Paul survive? Will Leah be able to help him move on. Can there be more than love? Set six year from Breaking Dawn. Rated T-M.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ** **A huge thank you to Mist for Beta-ing and pre-reading this story, for the wonderful banner and for her support. And mostly for putting up with my constant chatter.**  
**Special thanks to jarms for giving me that final push towards writing.**

**Without these ladies, this story would have never come out of my folder.**

**Oh...and just so you know, this is my first story.**

**Happy reading!**

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**Chapter- 1**

**Word count- 1403**

Paul ignores the constant knocking on the door as he sits in his bedroom holding the tiny bundle, his 4 days old daughter, tightly in his arms. She is such a pretty thing. All pink and chubby, with tiny little fingers, toes and a cute little button nose. She has light green eyes. The same as her mother's. Paul is sure that she'll look like her mom when she is older.

She whimpers a little and stirs in his arms.

'Shhh…...go back to sleep sweetheart. Daddy's got you' Paul coos gently at his daughter.

Every time he looks at his daughter, his heart clenches. For the little girl's loss, for his loss…for his lost imprint, Veronica Lahote. She was his imprint, wife, best friend, mother of his child. She was his everything, his universe. A sob threatens to breaks in his chest as all the memories of last 4 days flood back into his mind.

*flashback*

Paul sat in the hospital waiting room waiting for the doctors to finish whatever they were doing. Jake had not let him wait outside the delivery room. He had asked him to calm down and wait in the waiting room, telling that his anxiety and tension might effect his wife . Veronica had gone into labor earlier that day. The doctors said she couldn't have a normal delivery. Paul lets a long sigh, worrying about her. His wolf could feel his imprint's anxiety, her pain.

The pregnancy had some complications at the beginning. But his wife was adamant on having the baby. Now, Paul was thinking if letting her have the baby was a wrong decision. Sure, after the first few months, everything had progressed normally. But you never know what can go wrong in the body. Now all he could do was pray for his wife's life. He wanted her to get better. At this point, his wife became the top priority and not the baby.

Slowly, Paul could feel it in him. Something inside him was slipping. He knew what it meant. But he wasn't ready to accept it. Maybe they were going to lose the baby. Paul tried to reassure himself. He closed his eyes tightly and prayed with everything he had. Prayed for his imprint's life.

A warm hand rested on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw Leah sitting next to him.

"'The doctor wants you Paul" she said.

He nodded and got up to walk towards the delivery room. He tried so hard to ignore the unshed tears in Leah's eyes, the thickness of her voice. He didn't want to acknowledge the empty feeling in his chest. It was as if a part of him had died. As they moved closer, his feet became heavier. They refused to move. Paul had to drag them unwillingly. The feeling was increasing every moment.

Slowly, his pack came into view. He could see Emily crying . He could see the pained look on all his brothers' faces. Could see pity for him. But he did not want to accept any of it. Maybe he had lost the baby. He just wanted to hold his wife and console her on their loss. They could always try again.

The doctor came out and stood in front of Paul. Her aging face , a professional mask . "Mr. Lahote, congratulations. You wife gave birth to a daughter . The baby is healthy. The nurse will bring her out any moment now," she paused for a moment, her mask slipping to show some amount of sorrow.

Now Paul was waiting for her to tell that his wife was ok. He consciously ignored the fact that she had used the word 'gave', past tense. His dark pleading eyes bore into hers as she continued "'but…am sorry Mr. Lahote. We couldn't save your wife. We tried everything we could, but she had gone a little too far for saving. I'm really sorry for your loss."

Paul was staring at her as if she was speaking an alien language.

The doctor felt for this young man standing in front of her. She patted his back, "Stay strong, son. I know this is hard, but you have to do it for your daughter" she said with a forced smile and left.

Paul's senses were numbing. It was hard for him to process this news. He did not want to accept it. He collapsed into a nearby chair.

His pack mates were calling out his name, a hand was gripping his shoulders, shaking them to get his attention. But Paul could not feel any of it. He was slipping into something deep and dark. He just sat there staring into nothing. His eyes were red, but no hint of tears in them, as he was yet to accept this news.

Everything after that was a blur. He had sat like that for god knows how long. Then, out of nowhere, he had stormed into the room, after pushing away the hands that had tried to get in his way. There, on the stretcher was his wife. She looked so calm, as if she was asleep. But there was no sign of life on her face. That was the last string. Paul let everything sink in. He couldn't take it anymore. He broke down there as he held his wife's lifeless form in his arms. He sobbed into her neck for what seemed like days.

He was angry that she had done this to him. She had promised him a lifetime of love and support and now, she had broken her promise. Had left him all alone to suffer. He felt like a little boy lost in the world, with no where and no one to go to. He couldn't take this pain. He wanted to die. Wanted to go with her. He decided that he would go with her. He adjusted his wife back on the stretcher, kissed her with all the love he had. He wanted to act on his plan. Wanted to kill himself.

But all that changed when Leah came in with a tiny bundle in her arms. There was affection written all over her face. Slowly, she sat next to him, carefully cradling the bundle closer.

"Your daughter, Paul" she whispered.

Paul refused to look anywhere but this wife's face .Leah continued.

"Don't, Paul. Just look at her once. She is not responsible for any of this. Don't you dare blame her for any of it. She needs you. You are the only one she has now. So don't even think of doing anything stupid. Veronica would want all the happiness in the world for her. I'm sure even you'll want the same. Just hold her once" . Then she had gently placed the bundle in Paul's arms.

Slowly, Paul had looked down to see his daughter for the first time. Just one look at the little girl and he had given up all the plans of self destruction. He wanted to kick himself for even thinking that this little thing in his arms could ever cause something bad. His wife had left behind something for him to live for. Their daughter. At that moment, Paul decided that he would give this little angle every happiness in the world. He would never let her miss a mother's love and affection. No matter how hard it would be for him, he would fight through this for his little pup. Though he had lost the center of his universe, he had found this precious little thing to live for. He would strive to be the best father.

*End of flashback*

Two days later, he had buried the love of his life. It was the hardest day of his life. His pack and their families stood with him , for him. But nothing eased the pain. He had become stone like after that. Not opening up to anyone, not letting anyone near him. He didn't allow anyone near his daughter .He felt very protective of her. He had locked himself in the house for a day now. He didn't want anyone right now, except for his daughter. He wanted to be left alone.

Again, he could hear the knocking on his door. But he ignored and rocked his daughter gently, trying to put her back to sleep. He was still getting used to being a single father and the duties and responsibilities that came along. It was not easy, but he was learning. He would, eventually.

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**A/N: So, there it is. I would love to hear your thoughts about it. Let me know what you think in your comments.**

**Chamsp.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A huge thank you to Misty for beta, pre-reading, her support and mostly for putting up with me. Believe me, I trouble her a lot :D**

**Thank you for all those lovely reviews, favourites and follows. I am very happy at the response.**

**For the guest reviews:**

**Sara: Am really glad that the chapter could bring out those emotions in you. Am happy that you liked it. Thank you for your review:)**

**Silver:You are right. Leah does understand what he is going through. But it's not due to the reason you mentioned (Oh, what you mentioned would make an awesome story though). You will see more about it in the next chapter. Thank you for your review :)**

**Now, moving on with the second chapter...**

**Happy reading!**

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Chapter 2

Word count-1098

" I think we should give him some time alone. What he has gone through, it's not a small thing. He'll take some time to get back to normal" Jake said looking at Leah, who was packing food.

"Huh, some time? He'll take a lot of time before he's anywhere near normal Jake. He lost his imprint. I have no idea what is that doing to his wolf. But that doesn't mean he can lock himself in and shut the world out. That will just make things worse. We can't let him all alone to wallow in pain. Besides, he is not alone now. He has a daughter to care for. I hope he'll let us in, let us help him, you know, talk to us about it" the she-wolf sighed. Leah knew more than anyone else that pushing people away never helped ease the pain. It just made you bitter. She had experienced it.

"Hmm. Maybe you are right. I am worried about him Lee. We haven't seen him in two days. Hope Embry gets to talk to him" both of them looked at the clock in the dining room. They had sent Embry to check on Paul. He had been gone for two hours now. They were hoping that he'd get back with some sort of news.

As if on cue, Embry entered the Clearwater residence with a tired look on his face.

"He didn't even open the door. I was knocking constantly. But no response from him. I didn't push it because I didn't want to wake the baby up in case she was asleep. But I could hear two heartbeats and Paul murmuring something to the baby. So, we know that they are alright. But noting else. Sorry guys," he said slumping down to the nearby chair . Jake and Leah looked at each other. They had expected it.

"Ok then, boys. Let me do this. I'm taking food for Paul . God knows if he has eaten anything in two days. And I'll check on the baby too. Poor little thing, I don't know if Paul can care for her in his condition" Leah said, picking up the bag of food that she had packed for Paul.

"Leah, didn't you hear me? I said that Paul did not open the door" Embry asked her, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah Em, who said I was going to knock? Or enter through the main door for that matter?" Leah smirked, giving both the boys a 'don't you know me?' look.

"Anyways, see you guys later" she left with a determined look on her face. Jake and Embry couldn't help but laugh. It was Leah after all . If she wanted to do something, no matter what, she would find a way to do it.

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Paul placed his sleeping daughter in the crib and went out to the living room. All the exhaustion was now setting in. He could feel it seeping through every cell of his body. He hadn't slept in the past few days, hadn't eaten and the death of his imprint had made his wolf weak.

He walked towards the kitchen. He wanted to refill the baby formula and wanted to see if he could find something to eat. He washed the bottle and searched for the formula. He realized that he was out of formula. He slammed his fist on the counter, cursing out loud and ran his fingers through his just couldn't believe his luck.

"Don't worry. I brought some formula. Thought the baby might want it"

In a second, Paul was in a fighting stance, ready to fight the intruder who had entered his house.

"Jesus Paul, it's me, Leah" Leah said with a scowl on her face. Paul relaxed a bit when he realized that it was his pack mate.

"What the hell Lea….?" before he could complete the sentence, Leah shushed him, pointing towards the baby's room, silently telling him not to wake the sleeping child.

"What are you doing here? And how the hell did you get in?" Paul's voice was just a whisper now. An angry whisper, nonetheless.

"Well obviously, you wouldn't let me in if I knocked. So I snuck in through the guest room window. And as of why I am here, we were all getting worried and wanted to see how you were doing. So I thought I should check in on you. And... I brought some food for you "

"Huh, wanted to see how was I doing ah? Well am doing good. See? I'm alive. Isn't that great? Go tell others that am fine. You don't have to check in on me. One more thing, do not sneak in into my house Leah. And regarding the food, thank you. But I'll find something to eat when I feel like eating. Now, please leave. I have things to take care of " Paul said, all angry and irritated.

"I understand…." Leah started but was cut off mid-sentence by Paul.

"No. No you don't understand. You never can. Because watching your imprint die and losing your boyfriend to your cousin are two entirely different things. So don't tell me that you understand. None of you can "

The words cut through her heart .She wanted to slap him right across his face, break his jaw. She gritted her teeth and let out a long breath. She reminded herself that this was his pain talking. If it was any other day, she would have ripped his tongue off. But not today. Because he wasn't himself, this was his pent up emotions speaking. Leah breathed in and out slowly, trying to compose herself . After a few moments, she started talking again.

"Look Paul, we all know its difficult for you, but…..."

"Leah, please. I don't want your pity. If you really want to help me, then leave me alone. I'm begging you. Tell it to others too. Now, please leave. " he said through his clenched jaw, pointing towards the main door. He was fuming now.

Leah eyed him for a moment and decided that it'd be best to not push him at the moment. She placed her bag on the kitchen counter. "For the baby" she muttered and walked towards the main door. The door was slammed shut as soon as she stepped out.

Leah sighed long and hard. This was going to be much more difficult than she thought. But she wasn't the one to give up. She would find a way around. She was Leah Clearwater after all, the bad-ass she wolf.

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**A/N:So, here is the second chapter.**

**.I would really love to know your thoughts about this. So please review and tell me what you did or did not like in this chapter. It'll help me to write better (my first story, remember?). And yeah, hereafter the updates will be Tuesday/Wednesday. Any outtake or filler chapter will be posted on Saturday/Sunday. I'll try my best to give you regular updates :)**

**Chamsp.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A big thank you to Mist for beta and pre-reading. You are awesome :D**

**Thank you for all the reads,reviews, favorites and follows. It means a lot to me :)**

**For the guest reviews:**

**Silver: Thanks a lot. Am glad you are liking it so far :)**

**Now, coming to the story...**

**This is a filler chapter. It's shot, but gives us a small peek into Leah's life. Hope you all like it.**

**Happy reading !**

First beach was nearly empty at the moment except for a few young couples sprawled out on the beach, enjoying the moonlit night. Leah leaned back on her hand and closed her eyes. The cool breeze, the moonlight, the star splattered sky and the soothing rhythm of the waves made the night calm and beautiful. Perfect atmosphere to sit and think. And that was what Leah was doing. It had been two days since her encounter with Paul. The pack had tried calling him a few times. However, he had not answered any of their calls. She wanted to go check in on him but she didn't. She would give him one more day before paying him another visit.

The cool sand felt good between her toes. She sipped the soda in her hand as her mind drifted off to what Paul had said that day. Sure, she knew that she couldn't blame him, given his situation. Yet, it hurt her. Did he think she was so insensitive? Did he think she didn't know how it felt on losing someone you loved? Had she not lost her father? Watch him breathe his last in front of her, because of her?

A lone tear trickled down her cheek at the thought of her father.

And why did he have to bring up Sam after all these years? Sam wasn't even on her mind when she told Paul that she understood. She had moved on, long ago. Of course, she did not take it well in the beginning. She had been so bitter to all, so mean to Sam and Emily. However, she was dealing with too much at that time. As time progressed, she had let him go. She had understood that something's just weren't meant to be. That holding on to such things just caused pain to everyone. So she did what should have been done long ago. She let it all go.

Life got better for Leah after that.

She was happier now. She could again laugh freely, joke around the pack and actively involved in all pack and family affairs without being bitter. She has completed her education and now, she worked for a non-profit organization. She loved her job.

Eventually, she and Emily had rekindled their friendship. They were not the best of friends but they could sit together and laugh now. She could have a normal conversation with Sam now, without any guilt or awkwardness. In addition, she was happy about it. Hence, she didn't like it when Paul brought back all those old memories which she had buried inside her and moved on.

The sudden buzzing of her phone brought her back from her thoughts. She took it out from her pocket and saw that she had a text message from Paul . She hesitated a bit before opening it.

**"Can you come over? -Paul"**

She was a little worried now. But then, he would have called if it was an emergency, she thought. However, she didn't waste any time and started walking towards his house. She hoped that at least today, she could get him to talk.

**A/N: I know, very short. But the next chapter will be longer. I promise.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Chamsp.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you tons Mist for the beta and pre-reading. You are awesome.**

**Thank you everyone for the reads, reviews follows and support keeps me going.**

**This chapter is important. A starting point. Hope you enjoy it. Also, it reveals the baby name :D**

**Happy reading.**

**Chapter 4**

**Word count:1950**

Paul gently caressed his daughter's cheek who was now lying wide awake in her crib. He was still fascinated by how tiny she was. He was scared that he would unknowingly hurt her. He looked at her and saw that she was staring at nothing with those big, beautiful, emerald eyes. He wondered about what was going on in that little head of hers.

A knock on the main door brought him out of his thoughts.

"I'll be right back little one. We have a visitor" he told his daughter and went to get the door.

He opened the door and as he knew, it was Leah.

"Hey" she muttered with a smile.

He gave her a forced smile and gestured her to get inside . As she entered the house, Leah took in the surroundings. It looked pretty much same as it was two days ago. But now, there was a pillow and a blanket on the couch. It looked like he was spending most of his time in the living room. Maybe it was difficult for him to sleep in his room with all those memories, she thought.

She wanted to ask him how was he doing, but decided against it as she remembered their previous encounter.

"So…..you wanted me to come over. What's the matter?" she asked him.

"Yeah. I…well, I wanted to thank you for the food. I actually needed it. Thank you Leah "

Leah observed him closely as he spoke. He looked a little unsure of himself.

"It's ok Paul. No big deal" she smiled at him.

"And about what I said that day, I -I didn't mean to hurt you Leah. It was just….you know…." he struggled with words.

A small giggle escaped her lips. "Paul, I get it. It is OK. And, am not expecting an apology. I know, apologizing is not a Lahote thing" she said smiling widely.

She was happy to see that even he was smiling a little. It was a good start.

There was a moment of awkward silence. However, Leah continued, trying to keep up the conversation. She did not want him to throw her out of the house yet. She had decided that she wouldn't go out today without talking to him.

"So, the baby, is she asleep? Can I see her, please? "

Leah was dying to hold her again. Ever since she first saw her, the baby had stirred something in the she-wolf's heart. Leah felt the kind of affection that she had never felt before. It was almost maternal.

"Sure. She is in her crib. I'll go get her" Paul said moving towards the baby's room.

He was back in a minute, cradling the tiny bundle in his large arms. He was holding her so carefully, as if he was afraid he'd end up hurting her. He asked Leah to sit down and then, carefully placed the baby in her arms.

"Aww….look at you, you are such a beauty, little girl" Leah cooed at the baby,as a bright smile lit her face and affection shone in her warm ebony orbs.

"Yeah, she is. Doesn't she look like her mother?" Paul asked, looking at his daughter with love.

"Sure, she does. And she has those same beautiful eyes" Leah had to agree on that.

"How is she doing Paul? Did she drink her formula? Does she get enough sleep?" Leah asked, feeling concerned. She felt sad for the little girl who had lost her mother soon after her birth.

"She's doing fine. I gave her the formula some time ago. I was trying to get her to sleep. I do not know why she is not sleeping today. However, she is a sweetheart. Doesn't give her daddy a hard time" he beamed at his daughter. However, he quickly added,

"…...yet. But for some reason, I feel she'll be quite a handful growing up"

"I bet, she will be. She's a Lahote, you know?" Leah chuckle was accompanied by Paul's. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Paul, have you decided on a name yet?" she asked. Somehow, that part had slipped their mind. With the funeral and stuff, none of them had asked Paul about the baby's name.

Paul scoffed. "Huh, where are you Leah? I already signed the birth certificate, remember?"

"Oh, I…..it just slipped my mind, I guess" she told him, not mentioning about funeral. "So, what is it?''

She was really curious now.

"Esmeralda. Its Esmeralda Anna Lahote "

He was looking at his daughter with so much love, Leah could feel it in his tone.

"Esmeralda. It is beautiful Paul. Just like her. It suits her so well" she smiled at the little girl in her arms.

There was a silent moment before Paul continued. It was as if he was hesitant to tell whatever it was.

"It is. You know, it's Roni's choice. She knew the baby's sex. She wanted it to be a surprise for me. She had told me that if it was a boy, I could name him. And if it was a girl, then she would get the final say with the name. Huh, such a cheater. She finally decided on Esmeralda Anna Lahote. Anna was Roni's grandmother's name"

Leah could see the pain in his voice. This was the first time he had mentioned his wife after her death. Leah was glad that he was starting to open up.

"But I will call her peaches. She looks like one, doesn't she? My cute little peaches" Paul perked up a little.

Leah had to laugh on that. It was cute to see Paul like this. She would not say that aloud though.

"So you said she wasn't sleeping. Did you feed her? Change her diaper? Oh wait, do you even know to change diapers?" Leah asked. For some reason, she could not imagine Paul changing diapers.

"God Leah, of course I do. Roni taught me that much. Stop looking so surprised," he said noting the change of expression on her face. He almost sounded offended. Leah had to suppress a laugh. She looked down at the baby.

"Aww…..look at that. Someone is sleepy" Leah said, gently touching the cheeks of the baby who was now yawning.

"Come on baby girl, let's get you some sleep. Paul, let me put her to sleep, please"

Leah's eyes were pleading. Though he wasn't entirely comfortable with someone being so close to his pup, Paul couldn't deny her. So, he let her do it, but followed her closely.

After making sure that the baby was asleep, Leah and Paul sat in the living room, sipping coffee. Paul had not spoken a word. Leah decided that now would be the time to try to get him to talk. She placed her cup aside and sat directly in front of him. He looked up to see her staring at him. She could see the pain in his eyes. She took his cup, placed it aside and enclosed his hands within hers.

"Talk to me Paul. Put it all out. You will feel better. Look, it is just me. Please, talk to me" she whispered looking into his dark brown orbs.

That was it. He had not confided in anyone about all these things. He had suppressed it so much that need to let it all out was physical now. Paul could not hold it in anymore. Tears started to trickle down those big brown eyes which once had a mischievous twinkle in them.

Leah shifted next to Paul and hugged him tightly. He buried his face in her neck and, as she had asked, let it all out.

"It is so difficult Leah, so painful. Everything that I do, reminds me of her. I can't even sleep at night. If I close my eyes, I only see her. Her memories start to play like a movie. It's very overwhelming. Moreover, it has affected my wolf badly. He only sees the loss of his mate. I am literally hanging on a string, Leah. I have to give in just for a second and the wolf will take over. And I do not want that. I want to live, for my daughter. It is as if I am fighting him constantly. It is all wearing me out so much. I do not know what to do. How could she do this to me? How could she just take off, leaving me alone to deal with everything? I-I …" Paul could not speak further. He just clutched Leah tighter and cried harder.

Leah could see how much he was struggling , how vulnerable he was.

"I know it's difficult. But the Paul Lahote I know is a tough guy. Do not give up Paul. Do not let the wolf win. The man, you, should control the wolf. Not the other way. I am not saying it'll be easy. I know it will not be. But hang in there. Fight. You will get through this. I have that much faith in you" she was drawing soothing circles on his back now.

After a small pause, she continued.

"Whenever it becomes too difficult, just remember your daughter. It will help. You have to start accepting the fact that Veronica is gone. No matter what we try, she is not coming back. In addition, until you accept that, your wolf won't. I am not asking you to forget her. Just accept what is reality. Once you start doing that, it'll start getting better. Don't run from her memories, Paul. Preserve them, use them to remember who she was, to remember whom she wanted you to be. She was close to me Paul. I knew her well. She'd never want you giving up. So stay strong, for her, for your daughter, for yourself"

Leah really hoped that he would understand what she was trying to say.

"And hey, look here, look at me" she pulled out of his embrace to cup his face and spoke softly.

"Never think you are alone in this. We are all here for you. The whole pack has your back. I'm here for you, for peaches, any day, any moment, for anything. Do you understand me?"

Whatever Leah had told, she meant every word of it. She would do everything she could for Paul and his daughter. She had decided it the very first moment she had held Peaches in her arms.

Paul looked at her intently. He could see her sincerity. He nodded slowly, whispering a thank you and then, he hugged her. It was comforting, soothing.

Later sometime, in her embrace, Paul slowly drifted off to sleep for the first time in the past few days.

Leah woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of the a crying baby. It took her a moment to realize that she was at Paul's and it was Peaches who was crying. She tried to get up, but something heavy was all over her, keeping her from moving. It was Paul. They had both fallen asleep on the couch. She tried to move him gently, trying not to wake him up. She finally manage to get out from the couch.

"Is everything alright?" Paul mumbled in his sleep. He probably didn't even know who he was talking to.

"Yeah. You go back to sleep. I've got it" Leah told him, adjusting him into a more comfortable position on the couch.

He mumbled a sleepy 'hmm' in his sleep and was out the next second.

She picked up the baby from the crib, changed her , fed her and rocked her in her arms, back to sleep. Leah placed her in the crib and settled down in the nearby chair and eventually, fell asleep.

None of them had any idea that this beautiful night was the beginning of something beautiful.

**A/N: So there it is, the fourth chapter.**

**Reviews are appreciated :)**

**Chamsp.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks a ton to Mist for being the beta and pre-reader for this story.**

***You are amazing, Misty***

**The response I got for the previous chapter was AMAZING :D **

**Thank you to all the readers for your support (those reads, reviews,follows and favorites are amazing). It means a lot. **

**For the guest reviews...**

**Silver: Thanks a ton :) Happy to know that you are enjoying it.**

**Now, with the 5th chapter...**

**Happy reading.**

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Chapter 5

Word count: 2217 _(see? bigger than the previous one)_

Paul woke up to the smell of something delicious. He slowly stretched on the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He had had his much needed peaceful sleep and was now feeling refreshed.

He looked around, remembering everything that had happened last night. He had opened up to Leah and now, he was feeling good about it. She was right. Sure, the pain was there as much as the previous day. However, he felt better. It was as if he was regaining his strength and determination to fight. His need to live was slowly becoming his want to live. A want for a beautiful life with his daughter.

"Peaches" he jumped up from the couch, remembering his daughter. He had a very vague memory of her crying in the middle of the night. He wasn't even sure if it was a dream or it had really happened. He hurried towards her room, hoping that she was fine. As he entered the room, he saw that she was asleep in her crib, all calm and peaceful. He let out a sigh of relief.

"I have to be more responsible" he thought.

Suddenly, he was aware of the delicious smell which had gently woken him from his deep sleep earlier. It was now bringing him back from his thoughts and making his stomach grumble. He followed his nose, which led him towards his kitchen.

There in his kitchen was Leah Clearwater. She was cutting strawberries as she spoke on the phone. Paul saw that she had prepared breakfast. And, it smelled delicious. The hungry wolf inside him purred.

Leah ended the call with her mom and turned around to see Paul. He looked like he had slept well last night. The bad ruffled hair make him look cute. And if she said that out loud, she was sure he would pour that hot coffee on her. Therefore, she did not make any comments. She was in a very good mood this morning.

"Good morning, Paul" she smiled a bright Jake-like smile.

"What are you doing here Leah?" He asked his voice still laced with sleep.

"Making breakfast?" she gave him the 'duh look.'

"I can see that. What I meant was why you are still here? Don't you have to work today?" he pulled out a chair and sat, pouring himself a glass of water from the jug that was on the dining table.

"Paul, wake up. Today is Saturday" she said placing two plates of breakfast on the table . She poured some orange juice in two glasses and sat across Paul.

"I was hungry when I woke up. And I thought you would be too. So I made breakfast. Now eat. After that, we will clean up the house. It's very important to maintain cleanliness with babies around, you know?"

Paul looked around. His house was a mess. He had not cleaned it ever since all this happened. Leah was right. It needed some tidying up.

"Ok, we'll clean it up" he agreed. After a small pause, he asked her.

" Leah, what happened after I fell asleep last night? Peaches usually wakes up two to three times in the night. I don't remember that happening last night" he was now eating the breakfast. Leah was a good cook. And this breakfast was no different. It tasted great.

"Don't worry about it. She woke up once around 2.30 am and once in the early morning. I changed her and fed her. You were sleeping and you needed it. Therefore, I didn't wake you up. She's fine"

Leah remembered how good it felt to hold the baby in her arms, how good it felt to take care of her. She loved this feeling. She smiled to herself.

"Hmm, you didn't have to do that. You should have just woke me up. I …..."

"I did it because I wanted to. And Paul…"

She looked him in the eyes ,

"I meant every word I said last night. Whether you want it or not, I will be here for you and Peaches. Remember that please"

Paul gave her a genuine smile and nodded.

They finished their breakfast in comfortable silence. Then they cleaned up the table. Just as they were finishing doing dishes, they heard Peaches cry.

"I'll go. Can you finish doing this?" Paul asked, pointing towards the only two plates left in the sink. Leah nodded. He quickly washed his hands and went towards the baby's room. Leah wanted to follow him, but she resisted and finished cleaning up.

Paul came back in some time, cradling the baby.

"Aww….look who is awake. Good morning beautiful"

Leah cooed at Peaches. She wanted to hold her, rock her, and feed her. But she couldn't exactly snatch her away from her father's arms. So she sat there, looking at the tiny creature in awe.

After feeding her, Paul said he had to give her a bath. Leah immediately jumped in, offering help. Paul laughed seeing how eager she was.

"Alright, hold her here. I will get the cloth and a bowl of water. We can do it here" Paul carefully handed the baby to Leah, who was now confused.

"Why do we need a bowl of water? And what do you mean we'll do it here?"

"What? I meant we'll bathe her here. I will get some warm water and a cloth " Paul tried to explain. It clicked in Leah's mind about what he was saying.

"Wait. You mean like a sponge bath. We wipe her with a wet cloth. Is that how you have been doing it all these days?" Leah was curious to know this now.

"Yeah. How else am I supposed to do it? Can't exactly give her a shower"

Paul wondered what was so unusual about it.

"Paul,ever heard of baby tubs? What are they for?"

Leah couldn't believe he had been giving that kind of bath to Peaches. She didn't know whether to laugh or feel bad for Paul.

"Are you kidding? How will I hold her in the tub? This is fine Leah. Let's just do it"

He was getting irritated now.

"That's why it's called a baby tub, Paul.. I know Roni had purchased one. Where is it? I'll show you how it is done. It's not difficult. It's easier than you think. Go get it" Leah told him.

Paul stood there, contemplating the option. Finally, he agreed to give it a try.

"Do you know how to do it? Have you done it before?" Paul wanted to make sure that it was no risk.

"Of course, I have. Why would I suggest it otherwise? "

Leah lied. She had seen Claire's mom do it. She knew the theory. But she had never done it. However, she was confident enough to tell that she wasn't risking it.

"Alright. I'll get it to the bathroom. You go get Peaches ready. Be careful"

Paul said and went to find the tub and other stuff he would need. He found it all in a big bag in the baby's room. There was a tub, some baby soap, a few toys, some baby wipes etc. He took what he needed from the bag. Other things, like her towel, clothes, baby powder, diaper were already there outside.

He entered the bathroom and saw that Leah had taken off the baby's clothes. He placed the tub on the ground and waited for her instructions.

Leah showed him how to do it. Secretly, she was happy that she had done it properly and hadn't messed it up in front of him. She told him to always support the baby's head and neck with a hand, that it still hadn't developed complete strength and thus, needed support.

Together they finished bathing the baby and dressing her up. Once she was asleep, they started cleaning the house. It took them a whole 3 hours to clean up every corner. Paul's room was the last one they touched. He hesitated, said he wanted some time. He was not ready to go in. However, Leah convinced him.

He broke down as soon as he entered the room. Leah held him when he cried like she had done the previous night. She did not try to console him. Just let him cry. He had to learn to cope with it.

Later, when he felt a little better, she offered to clean up. She asked him go on a run. He hadn't phased since Veronica's death. He was afraid to do that, afraid that the wolf would take over and he wouldn't be able to phase back. However, he remembered Leah's words. He had to take control of the wolf. He couldn't let the wolf win. Therefore, he was willing to try it now. He would fight for the control.

So he took up Leah's offer and went to the woods. He checked with Sam and made sure that no other wolf was phased except Sam. He wanted Sam to be there just in case he slipped. Though Jake was the alpha now, it was Sam who had helped each one of them when they first phased. He was the most experienced person in that department.

Once he reached the woods, he took off his clothes. He could feel the familiar sensation of the fiery pain course through his veins, and the ripple in his bones. The wolf was clawing to be let out. Paul took a deep breath. The man would control the phase, not the wolf. He closed his eyes and remembered his daughter. He reminded himself of the life he wanted to have with his daughter, the need to win over the wolf. Keeping his daughter in his mind, he phased.

Paul returned home feeling much better and lighter. Running freely through the woods without any thoughts on his mind had helped him. Sam was there with him throughout. He didn't speak a word, didn't ask any questions , didn't think of anything and kept out of Paul's mind. It was almost as if he was not there. And that was exactly what Paul wanted.

Only after Paul phased back, he had asked him how was he doing and how was the baby doing. Paul told him that he was feeling better now. He told Sam about the baby's name. They didn't talk much. Sam had told him the same thing that Leah had. That he and the whole pack were there for him. Paul had thanked him, asked about Emily and then, both had parted ways.

Paul heard Leah talking to someone on the phone as he entered the house.

"Ok. He just came back. I'll let you know. Hmm "she ended the call.

"Hi Paul. Feel better now?" she asked him. She was happy to see that he had done it right.

"Yeah. I do. I called Sam to be there, you know, in case I lost it. It was good. And I could control the wolf. I feel a bit lighter now" he smiled.

"See? All you have to do is try. I'm so proud of you Paul. You are doing it right" she wanted to hug him. But she wasn't sure if he would be alright with it. So she refrained.

"Who was on the phone?" Paul asked, taking off his shirt and sitting on the couch. He was sure they were talking about him.

"Oh…..that was Jake. He ...umm….he wanted to know if he could come over. He said he wanted to talk to you".

Leah noticed how Paul tensed.

"What is it about? I can talk to him on the phone if it's important" Paul said, staring at the ground.

"I don't know what it is about. However, he wants to come over. And he also wanted to see the baby"

Leah could sense his refusal.

"It's ok Leah. Tell him I'll meet him tomorrow at his place if it is that important"

"What is the problem Paul? Why can't he just come over? He wants to se…." before she could complete, Paul cut her off. It irritated her. It was becoming a routine now. Him cutting her off mid-sentence.

"Who all were at the hospital that day, who all saw Peaches, held her ?" Paul asked in rushed words.

What? Why was he asking this now? In addition, he sounded….. angry? Leah didn't understand it.

"Why do you ask?" Leah asked him.

"Just answer the question Leah"

Yup. He was getting angry. And impatient.

"It was me, Sam, Emily, Jake, Sue, Jared and Collin. Others were on patrol. I was the first one to hold her. Then the others saw her. Then Emily and even Jake held her .But that is it. Once I handed her to you, you didn't let anyone near her. Why? What's the matter Paul?"

"Nothing. You know what, forget I asked it. And tell Jake to come over now"

He looked a bit relaxed. Leah didn't understand this.

Paul went off to take a shower, leaving a very confused and curious Leah behind. She messaged Jake to come over. Leah wanted to know why Paul had asked those questions. She could sense that something was up in his mind and Leah planned to find it out soon.

* * *

**A/N: There goes another chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it.**

**Thoughts? Questions? Guesses on what is Paul worried about? You can let me kno your review, if you wish :D**

**Have a good day :)**

**Chamsp.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: A big thank you to Mist for the beta and pre-reading. Thank you all for the reads and reviews.**

**I was really surprised that each one of you guessed it right about Paul's imprinting fears.I didn't think it was that obvious, LOL.**

**Thank you for all those reads, reviews and alerts.**

**Guest reviews.**

**Sara: You will find out in this chapter, Sara. Thank you for the review :)**

**Silver: I agree with you, completely. Imprinting doesn't have to be about romantic relationships always. But in this story, Leah has not imprinted on Peaches. She needs a mother and Leah will be there for her. Leah loves her a lot. But no imprinting is involved. But it was nice to hear about your take in the previous chapter. Thank you for the review :)**

**Moving on to the next chapter...**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 6

Word count: 2535

"So, how's Renee doing baby?"

Jacob was speaking to Bella while trying to put his clothes on. Leah had told him to come over to Paul's. Jacob was half afraid that Paul wouldn't let him come. So when Sue told him that Leah was at Paul's, he had called her and asked her to talk to Paul. And as usual, Leah had succeeded.

"She is feeling better now, Jake. But the doctor said it would be at least another week before she could go home"

Bella sounded a lot better than she did some days ago. Renee and Phil had broken up about a month ago. Shortly after that, Renee had been in an accident. Her car was hit by a truck on the highway. She had been severely injured. They all had thought she wouldn't make it. Her survival was truly a miracle.

Bella was now in Jacksonville, with her mom. The break up followed by the accident was pretty hard on Renee, and Bella was there to care for her mom and to be her support..

"Hold on Jake, mom wants to talk to you" Bella said, handing over the phone to her mother.

"Hey there, Jake. How are you doing?"

Jacob heard Renee's groggy voice. It sounded like she had just woke up.

"Hi, my dear future mother-in-law. I'm good. You tell me. You ready to start dating a new hottie yet? "

Jake asked in his ever happy manner. He could here Renee's soft giggles. He thought that it probably hurt her to even laugh properly.

"Yeah, I am. Do you know anyone that would want to date a half broken woman?"

Jake laughed with her. He was glad that Renee had recovered. Though he had put up a strong face for Bella and had told her Renee would recover, he was actually afraid that they would lose her. And he didn't want Bella to go through it. Because he had been through it and he knew how much that hurt.

"You know, you should come with Bells, to La Push. I will set you up with a hot native guy"

"Well that's a very tempting way of telling me to get well soon, Jake. I will think about it" she giggled.

"Sure sure. But seriously, how are you feeling now Renee?"

Jake's voice now reflected his concern.

"Am feeling good, Jake. Great, compared to last week. My body doesn't feel like a bag of broken ribs anymore. The pain is going down. So it's a good thing" Renee said.

"Great. So you take your medicines properly, listen to what doctors say, what Bella says and get well really soon. OK?" Jake half commanded her.

"Sure sure, Jake. Thank you. Now, here, talk to Bells" she mocked Jake and handed the phone to her daughter, a content smile playing on her lips, satisfied with her daughter's choice.

"I see, you made my mom smile wide?" Bella laughed. She loved how playful Jake and Renee were around each other. Then, she continued in a serious tone.

"Jake, it might be some more time before I can come back. Is that ok?" Bella was worried about Billy and Jake. But she had to take care of her mom too.

"Don't worry about it baby. Renee needs you. Stay there for as long as you want. We are fine here. Really. Moreover, Rach is here. So you don't have to worry about it" he tried to convince her.

Jacob had always been so understanding and supportive. Every moment with him reminded Bella that she had done the right thing 6 years ago. She had chosen the right person. Calling off the wedding with Edward Cullen and admitting to herself and everyone else that she wanted to be with Jake was the best decision of her life. And she was glad that she had finally found the courage to do that.

"Thank you, Jake. I love you. More than everything. And I miss you a lot" Bella's voice thickened.

"Hey, don't cry. OK? I love you Bells. It's OK. I will see you soon. I'm trying to see if I can come there next week. Now that Paul isn't working, it is a bit hectic here. But I'll try my best honey" he promised her. He wanted to see Renee and he was dying to see his Bells.

"OK. Charlie is coming here next week. See if you can come with him. Renee would love to see you" Bella said, smiling. Jake had impressed Renee. She adored him more than anyone. It was the same situation with Charlie. It was all good in their scattered little family.

Bella remembered suddenly, as Jake mentioned Paul.

"Oh, Jake? How is Paul? Have you seen him yet?" She asked, her voice laced with concern.

She was not in La Push when Veronica died. Her death was a shock to Bella. She felt really bad for Paul and the baby. She was worried about Paul.

"About that, am going to see him now. Sue told me that Leah was at Paul's. So I asked Leah to ask him about it. And he agreed. She said Paul's doing , am going to find out about it now. Nobody except Leah has seen him since the funeral"

Jake sighed. He cared deeply about the pack. They were his family. He really hoped that Paul would start feeling better soon.

"Hmm. I wish I was there Jake. I'll go see him as soon as am back. Tell me how it goes. And be sure to check on the baby once"

"Sure Bells. I will talk to you later. Take care baby. I love you"

Jake hung up the phone. He put on his shirt, grabbed an envelope from his closet and made way towards Paul's.

* * *

Paul heard a knock on his door as he came out from the guest room bathroom. He quickly put on his clothes and made his way downstairs. When he reached there, Jake was already sitting on the couch, talking to Leah.

The pack had never understood their relationship. They had no idea when and why Jake and Leah had grown that close, but those two were like partners in crime, attached to hips most the time.. Even though Jake had Bella, there were a few times when he had gone to Leah first when he needed advice or wanted to share something. There was a time when they all thought something was going on between those two. But when the pack had asked them about it, both had laughed hysterically, making the whole pack feel dumb. Even Bella didn't seem to mind their friendship. It looked like she respected Leah for it.

And now, after all these years, they knew that there was nothing romantic going on between those two. It was purely friendship. One that ran deep.

* * *

Jake stopped talking and stood up when he saw Paul.

"Paul!" Jake greeted him, smiling a controlled version of his infamous bright smile.

"Hey Jake," Paul returned his smile with a tight smile of his own.

"Ah...sit down. I'll get you some water" Paul started walking towards the kitchen.

"No Paul, I'm fine. Thank you."

Leah could sense the slight awkwardness hanging in the atmosphere of the room.

"Guys, I'll be inside. I have to make a few calls. Jake, tell me when you are leaving. I'll come with you," Leah quickly came up with an excuse to give the boys privacy.

Paul sat across Jake. After a small pause, Jacob started talking.

"I will not ask you how you are doing, Paul. What happened was a very big thing. Both, for the man and the wolf. It will probably be a while before you start feeling anywhere near normal. But I just want you to know that we are here for you. You probably would have heard it a hundred times by now. But I mean it Paul. You need anything, just give me a call and I'll be here. Honestly Paul, you are doing great. All I want to tell you is continue doing that. Do not give up. OK?"

"Yeah Jake. Sure. Thank you"

Paul was really amazed by how much the pack cared for him. He had never doubted the pack bonding. But experiencing it first-hand made his heart swell. He had pushed them away. But they had stood there for him, had understood his situation.

"One more thing, Paul. Here…"

Jake reached into his pocket and took out the white envelope.

"This is your check. For this month and the next. I know you are going through a lot and probably need some time off. So take it. There is no need to rush back to work. Me, Embry and Quil have it all covered. So you take some time off"

He placed the envelope on the table, in front of Paul. Paul was overwhelmed. He was really thankful to Jake for all this.

"Jake, I don't know what to say. Thank you man. For understanding. I do need some time off. But I'll come back as soon as I can. I just want to be with Peaches now"

Paul saw the puzzled look on Jake's face and explained.

"Oh yeah. Peaches, my daughter. I named her Esmeralda. But I prefer calling her Peaches"

"That is cute. A cute name for a cute baby. Do you mind if I see her once, Paul. Just once?" Jake asked, hoping that Paul would agree.

Paul observed him intently.

"Yeah. I'll get her," he got up from the couch and went to get her. A minute later, he came back holding his fluffy bundle of joy and Leah tagging closely behind him. He sat down on the couch, next to Jake. But showed no signs of handing Peaches to Jake.

"Um...she's asleep?" It wasn't a question. He was slightly disappointed that the baby wasn't awake.

"Can I…..uhh…hold her?" Jake extended both his arms towards Paul.

All this hesitation and the awkwardness was getting to Leah. Yet, she didn't utter a word. She sat there silently and observed the men, as Paul very carefully placed Peaches in Jake's arms and Jake held them trying to be equally careful. It amazed Leah how these men turned into huge wolves and killed vampires with little to no effort and yet, felt nervous to hold a newborn. She saw how Jake was looking at the baby with a tender look on his face, unaware of the fact that Paul was observing his every move with his X-RAY gaze.

It finally came to Leah. Paul's earlier behavior finally made sense to her as she realized what he was thinking. A small gasp escaped her lips, catching Jake's attention. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. When she didn't respond, he turned to Paul, only to see that Paul was staring at him. The alpha wolf felt weird.

"What is going on?" He asked looking at Leah and then at Paul.

He wished that Paul would stop staring and respond to his question. But it was Leah who started speaking.

"Oh god! That is why you didn't want anyone to see Peaches. You are afraid that someone will imprint on Peaches. This is what is bothering you, isn't it?" she whisper shrieked.

Paul turned to look at Leah. Jake's eyes went wide as he realized what was going on.

"Jesus! I didn't imprint on her, Paul. If that is why you were giving me those daggers. I adore her man. She is so cute and beautiful…and just so lovable. She is my …gross, Paul"

Jake couldn't stand the idea of imprinting on the baby in his arms. He was old enough to be her father, for heaven's sake.

"Good for you, Jake. I am happy that you don't have on go back missing a limb or two" Paul's tone was calm. But they all could sense the protectiveness bubbling beneath it.

"I don't think you have to worry about it. I mean, you were the last person to imprint. There hasn't been an imprint in almost 6 years now. And she is a newborn. So I don't think any of it will happen" Jake tried to reason, though there was no logic in it.

"When Quil imprinted, little Claire was only two. Let's not forget that. And there is nothing predictable in this world of supernatural. But I really hope you are right Jake. Because I would hate to hurt one of my brothers" Paul's paternal side had really kicked in.

"Paul, I know what you are….." Leah tried to convince. But, for the nth time , she was cut off mid-sentence.

"No Leah, don't. I know I can't control all these things. I agree that imprinting changed my life for the best, gave me Roni. But I want my daughter to have a normal life. I want to keep her away from all this wolf stuff as much as I can. And I can't stand the thought of someone imprinting on her. So I really hope that doesn't happen. It would be good for all of us."

"Yeah. I hope so too" Jake smiled, trying to ease up the tension.

Finally, after sometime, Paul relaxed. The atmosphere in the room was getting better now.

"Jake, how's Renee? Is Bella still in Jacksonville?" Paul asked. He had totally forgot about the accident in which Bella had almost lost her mother.

"I spoke to her earlier today. She is doing a lot better now. Bella is there with her. I am planning to visit her next week," Jake answered. He wanted to convey Bella's condolences for Roni. But decided against it. It looked like Paul was doing better now. And he thought it would be better to not push him.

"I should go now. I have to run some errands. Leah, are you coming with me?"

Jake was now handing Peaches back to Paul. Leah wanted to stay back but she was not sure if Paul would be ok with it. So she thought it would be better to leave.

"Yeah. I'll come. Paul, I'll bring breakfast tomorrow morning. Then we will go to the doctor. To figure out Peaches' regular checkup schedule, vaccination dates and stuff. Is that ok with you?"

'Please say yes, please say yes' Leah chanted in her head.

"Oh yeah. I totally forgot about that. We will go tomorrow. Are you sure it's not a problem?" Paul was thankful that Leah remembered all these important things.

"Not at all. I will see you tomorrow then," Leah tried hard to control the big smile that was threatening to spread on her lips.

Jake and Leah left after telling good byes. Leah placed a light loving kiss on the baby's cheek and whispered good night into that tiny ear. She wanted to hold the baby and spend the night with her like the previous night. 'Don't push, Leah' she reminded herself and forced herself to walk out of the Lahote residence with Jake.

She went home, ate dinner and went to sleep. Leah was really excited for the coming day.

* * *

**A/N: There is the 6th chapter. Thoughts? Questions? Doubts? Suggestions? You can always let me know in your review. Have a good day.**

**Chamsp :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Am so thankful to Misty for being the beta for this story and for pre-reading it. You are awesome, lady.**

**Thank you to all you guys for those reads and reviews and alerts. They make me so happy.**

**From here, the story picks up the pace. There will be some time leaps in the story. If so, it will be mentioned in the very beginning of the chapter. **

**For the guest reviews...**

azilamm: Am really happy that you are liking the story so far. And thank you for your suggestion :) But if that happens, it'll be a bit awkward for Leah, as she considers Esmeralda as her daughter, lol. Thank you for the review :)

Silver: Thank you so much for the review. Glad you are enjoying this :)

**Now, moving on...**

**Happy reading!**

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Chapter 7

word count: 3309 (longest till now :D)

-THREE WEEKS LATER-

"Give it back Leah. Am serious. You should not do that. Leah...Lee…." Seth whined, wrestling with his sister to get his phone back from her. He had come home from Seattle for the weekend. It had been almost 3 month since he had come home. College kept him busy. After the Cullen's left and after things cooled off a bit, he had decided to finish his , he had worked hard to perceive his dream. Not many people knew this, but he had always wanted to become a doctor. Accordingly, he had worked very hard to get into the med school. So,Seth was one happy wolf, doing what he wanted to do. And it benefited the pack too. After Carlisle Cullen left, they needed a doctor who knew about their species and their genetic makeup. So it was good that one of them was going to be a doctor very soon. This way, they didn't have to worry about their secret going public either.

"Yeah, right. You shouldn't do that. You should not hide things from your sister. Who is it Seth? Tell me and I will give your phone back," Leah was trying to keep him away from the phone. They were now wrestling on the ground. She had caught him smiling and chatting on his phone. Point to note, it was not his usual smile. It was that special smile. So, she had suspected something fishy. Finally, she decided to play the emotional blackmail card. It always worked on him.

"I'm deeply hurt Seth. You did not tell me. You never kept things from me before. Now, you are all grown up. You don't need your sister anymore. Here, take your phone. Go away, don't tell me anything." Leah put up a mask of mock hurt and gave his cell phone back. She got up and sat on the couch. She was trying to look devastated.

Seth plopped down next to her on the couch.

"Drama queen," he muttered. When he got no reaction, he looked at her to see that the drama had indeed intensified. Seth couldn't believe Leah was being like this.

"Uggh... enough with drama pouty. I know you are trying to make me feel guilty. Not working Lee," he grinned at her. Still no reaction from her. Seth sighed. His sister knew all the tactics to break him down.

"OK, I will tell you. But can we cut out the drama please? I can't handle you being a girly girl, Lee"

"Yeah. Whatever works on you baby brother," she ruffled his hair, smiling along with him.

"So…..." Leah asked giving him all her attention.

"So nothing. I was just chatting with my underclassman. Exams are nearing and I was helping her study. That's all. Happy?"

"Oh, OK." she seemed to be analyzing it.

"I see. Your underclassman? You never told me you taught tuition to your underclassmen. Oh! Wait, you are helping only this one, right. Not others. Just her. Hmm. Wonder what is so special about her. And don't you have your own exams to study for? What are you not telling me Seth? Is this why you have been singing those nonsense songs in your head when you phase with me?" Leah teased her little brother.

"Yeah, Leah. You caught me. I like her. OK? Now, can I go? "He got up to was annoyed.

"Details Seth. I want details. Are you both serious about it?" Leah pulled him back on the couch.

"Don't you have babysitting duties today? You were going to meet Paul, right. Why don't you just leave" he was irritated. Leah was interrupting his chatting time.

She gave him the big sister glare.

"Fine…listen. Her name is Mila. We met in the college library. She was struggling with an assignment and I helped her with it. Ever since, we have been friends. I like her and I think she likes me too. However, it is too early to make any conclusions. Therefore, I did not tell you. I'm afraid about imprinting and stuff. But I will not let that control my life. So I will give this some time and see where it goes. That is all. God, you are so damn annoying"

Now that he had told her everything, he hoped she would just leave him alone.

"Yeah. I am. But you love me anyway," she grinned.

"Will you tell me if it gets serious?" She knew he would. However, asked him anyway.

"Of course Leah. You are the first person I will call," he told her. It was true. She was his closest friend.

"Now, if you can show me some kindness and leave me alone….."

"Yeah, I will see. Go chat with your little girlfriend. I'm going to Paul's. Mom said she would come later tonight. She said she wanted to have dinner with both her kids today. So be here for dinner"

"Hmm. Is Charlie coming too?"

Charlie and Sue had been dating for years now. Sue spent most of the time at his place. However, she refused to move there or marry him. She said Harry was her husband and that would remain with her for the rest of her life. Charlie had no problem with that. He understood what it meant for her and respected her decision.

"No. He is leaving this afternoon for Jacksonville. Renee was discharged last week. She is moving in with Bella for the time being so he and Jake are going to Jacksonville to bring them here."

After Charlie and Sue started dating, Bella had rented a two bedroom apartment in Forks. It was just 10 minutes away from Charlie's and about 20 minutes away from the rez. She could easily get to her work. She was a teacher in the rez high school. In addition, she loved her job. She taught her favorite subject, literature. Though she had a place of her own, she spent most of her time in the Black residence. It was almost as she stayed there. She cooked for them, took care of them, helped Jake with cleaning and spent quality time with those two. In addition, she went to Charlie's at least twice a week. Usually, she cooked for him when Sue was busy. So currently, she was taking care of three houses.

"OK. I'll go visit Renee once she comes here," Seth said.

Leah left after reminding him again to be there for dinner.

A delicious smell greeted Leah as she entered the Lahote residence. The door was not locked and she left herself in.

"Hi Paul! What is the delicious smell?" she asked, closing the main door.

"Hi Leah. The pup and I went shopping yesterday. I bought this ready to bake cookie dough. Trying it out. It's in the oven"

Paul adjusted himself on the couch to make room for Leah. He was holding very sleepy looking Peaches. Leah noticed that there was some Disney movie playing on the television. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"That is for this little one. That is the only movie I could find. Next time I go out, I'll get some nice movies and story books and such stuff for her," he smiled at his daughter.

"Paul, she is too young to understand any of this. She is not old enough to watch the TV. You know that right?"

"Yeah, I do know that. But she is in her crib almost the whole day. I thought she would like some change. She is too young to understand but it's a new kind of stimulation to that little brain. Right baby girl. ?" he asked the tiny form in his arms.

"And it's only for today. I'm planning to take her out from tomorrow. A little stroll in the park or on the beach might be good for her"

Leah agreed with that. But now she noticed that he looked sleepy too.

"Have you been watching the movie all this time?" she had to know.

"Yes, I have. It's not like she can sit on her own. Someone has to hold her. And I have been telling her what's going on in the movie. I know it sounds weird to you, but..."

"No. Not at all. That sounds adorable. And cute…" Leah wanted to go all aww on Paul. The whole thing sounded so cute.

"And is that why you look sleepy?" She asked.

"Yeah. For the first time in my life, I'm watching some princess movie. What do you expect?" Leah had to laugh at that. Who had thought that their local bad boy would watch some girly princess movie some day?

"Looks like you are not the only one feeling sleepy here. Look at this one. She is almost asleep," she gently brushed her knuckles on those soft, chubby cheeks.

"Usually she sleeps for the most part of the day. However, she did not sleep well last night. She was being fussy. She fell asleep only after I put her on the bed , next to me. In addition, we went shopping yesterday. Diapers, groceries, baby supplies and stuff. I even bought a dress for her. Her first bonfire is coming up. I think it made her tired. Can you get that baby blanket from my room? Let her sleep here for a while," he asked Leah. He had finally shifted back to his room. And he had shifted the baby's crib there. That way, he could keep an eye on her all the night and he wouldn't feel alone in his room

Peaches fell asleep in the warmth of her dad's arms. Paul wrapped the blanket around her and made sure she was comfortable in his arms. After some silent moments, Leah brought up the topic that had brought her there today.

"So, did you think about it?" she asked, her voice soft and low, being careful to not wake the baby up.

"Yeah, I did. But am not sure about what to do"

Paul was planning to join work soon. But the big problem in front of them was about what to do with Peaches. He couldn't stop working. The job at Jake's garage paid him well and he loved what he did. In addition, he did not want to quit. He was not comfortable with hiring a nanny or leaving Peaches at a babysitting center.

Therefore, Leah had come up with an idea. Paul would work four days a week and she would work three days a week. When he had to work, she would take care of Peaches. She would work from home on such days. She had talked to Jake about it and had no problem with it. Paul was excellent at what he did and Paul working four days was no bad than Paul working six days. So he had agreed to it without a second thought.

But Paul was taking a lot of time to decide something about the issue. In addition, he seemed unsure with this idea.

"Do you have a better plan?" She asked him. He look at her intensely for a few moments.

"No, I don't. However, why are you doing all this? Why are you willing to compromise with a job that you love so much?" He wanted to know this. It was a big think. She was willing to compromise with her job. And Paul did not understand why was she willing to so much for him.

"Because I WANT to. In addition, because I can. I do not see any other option Paul. You cannot quit your job. You can't leave her with any of the other members of pack. I mean, Sam and Emily are finally thinking about starting their family. They are busy with that stuff. Rachel Black is just settling in with her new job. In addition, Kim. I don't have anything against her, she is a good woman. But she has made it pretty clear that she does not want kids. I don't think asking her to babysit Peaches is such a good idea. Who else is there? Billy? Collin? Brady? Old Quil? And don't tell me you are willing to take her to that garage with you. In between all that dust and chemicals and smoke."

Leah sounded offended. She had always been sincere about what she had told about Peaches and Paul. Yet she was questioned every time about her intentions.

"Look Leah, I do not doubt your intentions. I believe what you are telling. I have always believed you. It's just that what you want to do for Peaches is a big thing. I don't understand why you want to do something like that for her when you are not actually related to her"

He looked troubled. But that did not lessen the amount of pain Leah was feeling . He had pointed out that she was not related to Peaches. It hurt her more than it should have. She swallowed that invisible lump in her throat. Her jaw tightened as tears stung at her eyes, threatening to surface any moment. However, she fought to stop them right there. She would not cry. She had not cried in front of anyone in very long time. In addition, she would not allow that to happen now. She hated crying in front of others. It made her look weak. And Leah's ego was way too big to let that happen.

So she did the one thing she could think of at that moment. She knew she was acting in anger and she knew that she should not feel bad about the things Paul said because of his situation. But she felt way too bad about what he had told. It was as if he had indirectly questioned her concern for Peaches. Therefore, she stood up from the couch. She wanted to leave.

Before she could take another step, he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back on the couch. She tried to stay still, but he was stronger. Finally, she sat on the couch with a thump.

"Shit. I did not mean it like that Leah. I just meant that you don't have to do any of this. And, honestly, I feel guilty about it. I don't know how to explain what I mean. However, Lee, I did not mean it like that. You are related to her. You care for her so much and love her so much, of course she means a lot to you. You are family, Leah. I did not mean it like that. I'm sorry, OK?" he had regretted those words the moment they were out of his mouth. He never meant to hurt Leah. He had just used the wrong words to express himself.

"Paul, how many times do I have to tell you this? Is it so hard for you to believe that I want to be there for Peaches? She is the first pup of the pack, Paul. She means a lot to all of us. We all have the right to love her and care for her . She belongs to all of us. Each one of us would die protecting her. Why is that so hard to believe ?Am here because I want to. So please stop over thinking stuff. In addition, do not feel guilty about it. Am not telling this again. So you better get it across that thick skull of yours before I punch it in"

"Fine. I get it. You could have told it nicely, you know" he released her hand and got comfortable on the couch again.

"I tried that already. But apparently, nice does not work on you" she had her trademark scowl on.

He smirked at her and it irritated her further. However, she smiled after a while.

"So, I take that as a yes. No more arguments. OK?"

"Sure Leah" he could see her alpha female streaks surface. Leah could put up one hell of an argument when she wanted to. In addition, she always won. Therefore, it was better to agree with her. And she did manage to convince him with whatever she had told.

"Good" the scowl disappeared from her features, a delicate smile gracing her lips.

Then they heard the oven beep. Leah got up from the couch and went to check on the cookies. They had come out pretty well. Both the wolves finished more than half of them in just a few minutes.

"Why don't you stay for dinner tonight Leah? Embry and Quil are coming over. We can order pizza," Paul offered. Things were falling back to normal from the past few days. One after the other, the whole pack had visited. Paul had hesitated at first but eventually, he had agreed. The toughest was for Embry. It was as if Paul was convinced that Embry would imprint on Peaches. And when that did not happen, a huge weight was lifted off Paul's shoulders. He now trusted the other wolves enough to allow them near the baby. It was all getting better.

"I want to. However, I cannot. Mom is coming over today. We are having dinner together," Leah told him

"Oh, that's good. Charlie and Jake are going to Jacksonville, right?"

"Yeah"

"So, how does that work? Is Sue OK with Charlie visiting Renee?" Paul wondered.

"Mom does not have any problem with that. Renee has been through a lot and Charlie is just helping. I don't know how all this is working, but I just know that they are our parents. They are mature and have a way better understanding of all these things. Honestly, I do not bother about it much. They are happy. That is what matters. So, let them do it their way" she knew that her mom would always love her dad. She knew that her mom was happy with Charlie. So she did not interfere much in her mother's love life.

"Yeah, you are right. It is best to not interfere. By the way, where is Seth? I was expecting him to come with you. He's probably busy messaging Mila, right?" Paul chuckled. In addition, Leah's eyes widened.

"How do you know about Mila?" She asked.

"He spent the whole evening here yesterday. We talked about a lot of stuff. He told me about Mila. I even gave him some pointers," Paul answered. However, he saw that Leah was glaring at him, hard.

"What?" he asked.

'He told you about Mila?" She seemed surprised. And a tad bit…upset?

"Yes, he did. Why?"

"That little… He is such a traitor. He told you. However, he did not tell me. He told me this morning. After I forced him" she did seem a little upset.

"Come on Leah. We were talking and this thing just came up. He wanted to know certain things about, umm….."

"Spare me the details, Paul" Leah closed her ears. She did not want any such mental images of her baby brother.

Paul's laughter boomed through the living room, making the baby squirm in her sleep. He tried to lower his voice as he rocked the baby gently, making sure she stayed asleep.

"Don't jump into conclusions, Leah. He wanted some advice regarding the imprinting and stuff. Not every person asks me about sex, you know," he had that naughty glint in his eyes after a very long time.

"Whatever you say, Paul" she scoffed.

After a little more bantering, Leah left for the dinner with her mom. After a long time, the Clearwater's spent some family time together that night.

The bonfire was due that weekend. It was Peaches' first bonfire. And both Paul and Leah were excited for the little girl. In addition, Leah was happy, because Paul was getting better.

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**A/N: There will be a time leap in the next chapter too. A little bigger one. And maybe some Paul/Leah action (finally) *wink wink* ;)**

**You can let me know what you think in your reviews if you like :)**

**Good day.**

**Chamsp.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks a ton to my lovely beta and pre-reader, Mist :)**

**Thank you all for the reads, reviews and alerts.**

**The Guest reviews:**

Silver: It is a bit too early for Paul to love again, yes. But as you said, maybe sometime later? That would be good :)Thanks a lot for reviewing:)

**Moving on with the story...**

**As I had mentioned in the previous chapter, there is a time leap in this chapter. It's to get the story moving in a better pace.**

**Happy reading !**

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-ONE YEAR LATER-

Time went by fast. Days became weeks; weeks rolled out into months and life went on. Before they could blink, a year and a month passed. Peaches was now 14 months old. However, Paul felt like she was born just yesterday. A lot had changed in one year for the pack and for Paul. His life was finally back to normal. He would never forget Veronica; never stop feeling the pain for her loss. However, he had come to terms with it. His heart had finally accepted what his mind already knew. The hollowness in his heart had finally started healing.

Paul loved his daughter to death. And it increased every single day. He worked hard to make sure she would have a bright future. And he spent every single moment of his free time with her. She had learned to crawl a few months back and was just learning to stand up, with support of course. She babbled the whole day and giggled all the time. Her every giggle made his heart swell. Her constant baby blabber made him laugh, though it made no , he talked to her all the time, irrespective of her understanding capacity and the ability to talk back. He loved talking to her. She was a very active kid. And notorious, living up to the Lahote name.

Then there was Leah. In the past year, she had done so much for Paul and Peaches and had grown so close to the Lahote's that she was almost like an unofficial part of the family. The whole pack respected her for that. But there were people on the rez who passed snide comments behind their back and questioned their relation.

There were times when people mistook them for a couple. Like once, they had gone to the doctor for the baby's regular checkup. On the way back, they had been to the supermarket and one older lady had called them a cute family and had told Leah that she was a lucky woman to have such a cute kid and such a handsome husband. For a moment, Paul had been upset. But after they came out of the supermarket, he and Leah had burst out laughing.

Then there were those times when people had called Leah a selfish bitch and had commented about how she was using Paul's situation to trap him and hook up with him.

But neither of the situations had bothered Leah and Paul. They never let it get to them.

Over the year, Leah and Paul had grown closer. First, it was because of the baby. But slowly, their bond grew and blossomed into a good and strong friendship. There were days when they fought like cats and dogs. However, they usually made up the very next minute. And they always stood up for and supported each other.

Peaches just loved Leah. She was comfortable with the whole pack, but she always preferred to stay with Leah. She called out for Leah all day. Lee became Jee in that tiny mouth. There were times when all the pack heard from Peaches was Jee .

And Leah loved Peaches with everything she had. She had thought that the part of her which was capable of loving was dead. But this little girl had brought it back to life. She was like rain to the barren land of Leah's heart. Leah never knew she was capable of giving so much love to someone. It was pure, unconditional love. Entirely maternal.

* * *

It was a calm evening. The breeze, the steady rhythm of the waves, the normal banter around the beach, the rising moon,the shining stars, everything reflected a sense of calm. But Leah's heart did not.

As she sat on the soft sand, hugging her knees to her chest, a whirlpool of emotions rose in the bottom of her heart, sucking in her mind soul into it. A lone tear trickled down her cheek and a content smile played on her lips as she sat there, in a secluded part of the first beach, remembering what was one of the best moments of her life.

The day had been normal, like any other day. It was her day to take care of Peaches. She had gone to the Lahote residence early in the morning. Then she fed Peaches, gave her a bath, played with her and had made sure she slept well. In the evening, she had taken Peaches to the park. The kid loved it there. And the interaction with the other kids was good for her. In fact, it helped her to learn to talk. She was learning new words from her little friends. The words in her little dictionary were increasing every day.

After spending sometime in the park, Leah and Peaches had returned. They had come home to find the whole staff of Black's garage in Paul's house . Paul, Jake, Embry and Quil were all sprawled out throughout the living room, watching TV. As soon as Paul saw them, he had taken Peaches from Leah, kissing her chubby, soft, cheek (the reason why Embry called her chubby cheeks) and tickling her till her baby giggles lit up the whole room, making the other wolves laugh.

Then they all had decided to eat together. Jake was ordering food as Paul and Leah fed Peaches. Paul held her and sat on the couch as Leah fed her the baby food. Peaches was eating and babbling as always. That is when it happened. Her pudgy fingers grabbed Leah's hand as she said that one little word.

"Mama"

The whole room went silent as she repeated it to Leah.

"Mama" she said again, patting Leah's hand.

They did not know what to make of this. Didn't know if it was a part of her regular baby talk or if she was actually calling Leah her mother, like the other kids in park did. But they had never heard that word from before.

Peaches tugged on Leah's hand, urging Leah to bring her the spoon full of food which now hung in the air, dangling from the tip of Leah's fingers. However, Leah was too dumbstruck to notice any of this. Her mouth slightly open, a thin layer of moisture in her eyes, and fingers holding the spoon loosely in mid-air, Leah did not know how to react. The other wolves were looking at her, smiling. But Paul's face was a hard mask, making it difficult for them to read his thoughts.

There was complete silence in the room until Peaches returned to her babbling. Everyone refrained from commenting anything on it. Leah recovered from the momentary shock and continued feeding Peaches.

She tried to keep her face normal, but the emotional whirlwind raising inside her threatened to breakthrough. She stole a glance or two at Paul only to see that he was looking at her. Staring would be the better word. He was reading every inching of her face, trying to make out her thoughts.

After she was done with the feeding, Leah excused herself, deciding that she didn't want to stay for dinner. She wanted to get out of there for the moment. Paul's gaze was making it difficult for her to breath. And she wasn't sure if she could keep her emotions to herself for much longer.

So she told them she had some work to do, kissed Peaches goodnight and left.

And now, almost an hour later, she was sitting on the beach, replaying the whole scene in her head again and again.

She was feeling too many emotions at once. While happiness dominated them all, she also felt pain and fear. Pain that she would never be able to give birth to a child of her own. And fear about how Paul would react to this. She was afraid that he might not want her near Peaches anymore. A tiny part of her even felt guilty for some unknown reason.

She could not sort out her feelings. So she held on tight to the happiness and cherished it.

Then, she sensed it.

He was coming.

She could smell him and hear his firm footsteps against the sand. She groaned internally. She wasn't in the mood for a confrontation. She was happy and wanted the feeling to stay as long as it could. She didn't want to face Paul right now. But apparently, he was very eager to have a talk with her.

The footsteps grew closer. But she did not turn around. She just wiped the tears off her eyes and sat there, waiting for him.

Paul wasn't surprised when she didn't acknowledge him. He just went and sat next to her.

They both sat there, looking at the horizon, enjoying the cool breeze against their overheated skin.

Eventually, Paul broke the silence.

"She called you mama," he said, still looking at the sea and the horizon.

Leah did not respond. Because it was not a question. So he continued.

"You didn't say anything"

She felt there was slight accusation in his tone.

They were both facing each other now.

"Neither did you," she replied in a sharp tone. She wouldn't let him blame her for this.

"And what did you expect me to say? What could I possibly say? Tell a one year old that she shouldn't call me mama? That am not her mother? I mean, we don't even know what she actually meant. She doesn't even know what that word means. Maybe it was just a part of her regular babbling. Or maybe she picked it up from the kids in the park. And you expect me to explain it to her?"

Paul didn't reply. He sat there, looking at her, trying to understand her.

"You liked it," he stated slowly, looking for her reaction.

Leah was angry now. He had no right to question her happiness.

"Of course, I liked it. It was the word I had accepted that I would never hear in my life. I had accepted that no one would ever call me mom. And when Peaches did, it turned my heart inside out. Of course, I liked it Paul. I LOVED it," angry tears rolled down her cheeks.

She did not want to argue with him about it. She tried to stand up, wanting to leave. But he caught her arm before she could stand up.

"I'm not accusing you, Leah." He pulled her back on the ground, very close to him.

He cupped her face with his large hands.

"I'm not blaming you. Nor am I upset about this. I just don't know how to react"

His voice was soft.

He really didn't know how to react to the situation.

He used his thumb to wipe the tears off her face. Seeing her like this, he felt terrible for Leah.

Life had always been a bit too hard on her. The phasing had taken away all their freedom and free will. But, it was a real curse on Leah. It had snatched away her ability to reproduce. They all knew she had stopped having her reproductive cycle since her first phase. And now, knowing how much she loved Peaches, Paul felt really bad for her. She would make a great mother, if she ever got a chance. And he wished that she would get it someday.

"Leah, am really sorry if you felt bad about it. I was just trying to understand it," he told her.

"Lee" he whispered, making her look at him.

"You will make a great mother someday"

She let out a chuckle laced with sarcasm.

"That day will never come Paul. I can never ha….."

"Shh…." Paul's hold on her face tightened. His thumbs wiped away the fresh tears.

He pressed his right pointer against her lips, silencing her, keeping her from finishing her sentence. Because he still had hope for her.

Then, the same finger came up to tuck away a loose strand of her silky midnight hair behind her ear.

Slowly, he inched his face closer to hers, looking into her eyes. His mind was calculating every move, trying to decide if he should or should not do the thing that he wanted to do right now.

Finally, he made a decision.

He gently rested his forehead on hers, breathing in her scent.

Leah closed her eyes.

She knew what was coming. She knew she couldn't let it happen. Knew that it was too risky for her heart and that she would feel guilty about it later. Yet, she couldn't find it in her to pull away from his grasp. It had been way too long since anyone had kissed with real feelings.

So she closed her eyes and leaned towards him till she felt his forehead rest on hers.

There was a moment of complete silence.

Then, ever so slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. Once, twice, three times.

When he felt no resistance from her, his lips got firm.

There was no resistance, but there was no response either. Paul realized it soon. But before he could pull away, he felt her lips move.

Slowly, her soft plump lips moved against his, capturing them with hers.

It seemed like everything around them stilled for a moment.

His fingers grabbed her hair, being careful not to hold very tight and his other hand moved from her cheek and circled her waist, pulling her closer. One of her hands gripped his short cropped hair and the other held on to his bicep.

Paul pulled Leah onto his lap and she straddled him as they deepened the kiss.

Both of them moaning together at the first taste of the other.

After a deep, long kiss, they broke away. They sat there, in the very same position, trying to catch their breath.

Liquid fire coursed through their veins, making their overheated skin even hotter.

They both felt alive for the first time in a long time.

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**A/N: YAY! Their first kiss :)**

**So? Any thoughts? Let me know in your reviews.**

**Thank you for a good day :)**

**P.S: The next update may or may not be next week. Exams are nearing and school is keeping me very busy. But I'll try my best to get the next chapter out ASAP :)**

**Chamsp.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello all!**

**I know I haven't updates since two weeks. But my exams are nearing and all the assignments and studies are keeping me really busy. I hope you will understand :)**

**My beta is currently a little busy. So this chapter is unedited. I apologize for the errors. **

**This is a filler chapter. It's short. But it's a connector for the upcoming chapters.**

**Guest reviews...**

Silver: Thanks a lot for your lovely reviews. Leah will get her HEA, I promise :)

Guest: Thank you for leaving a review. Hope you will continue enjoying this :)

**Again, thank you all for the reads, reviews, alerts and favorites. They make me happy and boost me up.**

**Happy reading !**

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Continuing from the previous chapter...

_His fingers grabbed her hair, being careful not to hold very tight and his other hand moved from her cheek and circled her waist, pulling her closer. One of her hand gripped his short cropped hair and the other grabbed on to his bicep._

_Paul pulled Leah onto his lap and she straddled him as they deepened the kiss. Both of them moaned together at the first taste of the other._

_After a deep , long kiss, they broke away. They sat their, in the very same position, trying to catch their breaths. Liquid fire coursed through their veins, making their overheated skin even hotter._

_They both felt alive for the first time in a long time._

Paul pulled her closer, his hands gripping her slender waist, his fingers grazing the bare flesh just underneath the hem of her shirt.

For the first time that evening, Leah looked into his eyes. They were blazing,making her insides melt. But beneath the lust was something tender. A subtle hint of ... concern? pity? want? She couldn't decipher.

Before she could give it a thought, she felt his grip on her tighten.

"Paul." Her breathy protest died in her throat when she felt his lips on her neck.

Her thoughts were clouded. But she had to stop this before it went out of control. What had just happened would cause enough damage. There was no need to fuel it.

"Paul…." She tried again. But Paul didn't realize she was trying to stop him.

She tried again, gripping his shoulders and pulling him up this time.

"Paul. No." Her voice was barely a whisper.

He finally looked up with hooded eyes as Leah slowly shook her head at him.

"No. We have to stop. We can't." she told him, hoping he would understand.

"We _shouldn't._" she whispered. She really hoped that he would stop. Because, if he continued even after this, Leah wasn't sure she would find it in her to stop him.

She wasn't sure she would _want_ to stop him.

He didn't utter a word. Slowly, he loosened his grip on her, allowing her to slip off his lap. But never once did he lose eye contact with her. His gaze held hers, a hundred questions and a thousand thoughts behind them.

"Am sorry." Paul muttered faintly, his voice husky.

"I should go." She couldn't look at him anymore. She didn't know what to say. She slipped off his lap and stood up.

He didn't answer her. Didn't try to stop her.

He just sat there looking at her as she walked away, wondering if he had just ruined it all.

* * *

Leah was exhausted. Mentally and emotionally. It was past midnight as she curled up in her bed, replaying the events of the evening in her mind for the nth time.

She wanted to kick herself for letting the kiss happen. She had fell weak in front of him. She had opened up. She had let him see her vulnerable side. And she had given into her physical wants without thinking.

_This_ was not her. This was something she hated. She hated being vulnerable and weak. It always gave others a chance to walk all over her. And she couldn't let that happen. She had experienced it once. She didn't have it in her to take anymore pain. So she always tried to stay strong.

But Paul had managed to invade through that strong facade.

And she hated herself for letting that happen.

This father-daughter duo was making her feel every emotion she had accepted she would never feel again. This was getting dangerous for her. She was getting too involved in this. She was risking her heart.

A heart that had once been shattered into million tiny pieces.

A heart that had taken years to heal, to get better.

A heat that wasn't strong enough to withstand another such blow.

If anything like that happened again, Leah was sure it would kill her this time. Because no matter how strong she tried to show herself, she was still a healing mass on the inside.

As she finally drifted off to sleep, she made a decision. She would distance herself from all this. She would raise her guard up again.

She would protect her heart this time.

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**A/N: I will try my best to give regular updates. But if I can't, please bear with it till my exams are over. Thank you :)**

**Any thoughts...?**


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